Smithfield and a forgotten war

Almost buried in an oasis of trees, the farms of Beersheba holds more secrets than its ancient gables hint at. Set in the vast open plains and hills of the eastern Free State, this French mission station is 25 kilometres from Smithfield, the third oldest village in the province.

A bloody past

But once it was at the very centre of a battle that tore apart the community that lived at Beersheba tore apart the people living around the mission and in the wider region.